Valve



Jan. 7, 1936.

G. A. PETROE vENToR ATTORNEYS a w a. me

Patented Jan. 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE vVALVE Gregory A. Petroe, Niagara Falls, N. Y., asslgnor to The Mathieson Alkali Works, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia.

Application July 24, 1934, serial 10.736304 9 Claims.

mote from the assembly. 'Ihe valve of the assem-f v bly may be of' the pressure reducing type functioning automatically, when brought into action by the motor device, to allow the passage of iluid through it at a selected pressure from a source of supply at a higher pressure, or the'valve may be a stop valve which opens to a selected extent when brought into action by the device and remains in open position until closed by the device. Whichever form of valve is used, the new assembly oifers various advantages over the prior constructions'which will be made clear in the detailed description to follow.

The motor device and the pressure reducing valve of the assembly are both of novel construction and both involve the use of a pair of diaphragms of diiferent sizes. Upon the application of pressure to the'two diaphragms of the motor, the latter is caused to function by the force which acts because of the differences in the diaphragm areas; and similarly the pressure-reducing valve when functioning automatically is actuated by the diierence in the total pressures acting on the diaphragms. The stop valve includes a single diaphragm, and in allcases the use of the diaphragms simplifies the construction, avoids the necessity of .employing packing, and reduces the number of wearing parts. Also, by the use of the new motor, thevalves may be made with smaller diameter seats than would otherwise be possible.

The new pressure reducing valve can be used alone, in which event it functions entirely automatically, and the invention, therefore, comprehends the newv motor-controlled valve assembly including either a pressure reducing valve or a stop valve, and also the pressure reducing valve of novel construction.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of the pressure re- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the motor operating a stop valve.

In the drawing. the pressure reducing valve is illustrated as including a, housing made up of a body member III, a bottom member II, and a top member I2. A diaphragm I3 is interposed between the body and the bottom member and a diaphragm I4 is interposed between the body and the top member. The body and the top and bottom members are all provided with circumferential flanges I5 secured together by bolts I6, and the edges of the diaphragms are clamped between the flanges on two adjacent members and held -securely in position., Within the body is a shoulder vII into which is threaded a bushing I8 through which loosely passes a stem I9 terminating in an enlarged head 20 lying in contact with the diaphragm I4. A collar 2| is threaded on the bushing and forms an adjustable seat for a spring 22 which bearsat one end against the collar and at the other end against the under surface of the head 26, the collar being adjustable along the 'bushing to vary the compression of the spring.

The stem I9 projects through the bushing and has a collar 23"which lies in contact with the diaphragm I3, and va portion 24 of the stem extends through the diaphragm and has threaded thereon a member 25 on which the valve 26 is loosely hung. The free end of the valve 26 isA conical and it cooperates with a seat 21 formed in a partition 28 in the bottom member Il. The bottom member has bosses 29 and 30 at opposite 'sides of the partition into whichcan be threaded pipes 3l and 32, the vpipe 3I leading from a source of fluid under relatively high pressure and the pipe 32 leading away the fluid at a reduced pressure. I A pipe 33 leads from the pipe 32 -to an opening in the wall of the member I2 above the diaphragm I4, the end of the pipe 33 being secured in the opening by suitable means.

The motor device comprises a top member or cage 34 and la bottom vmember '35 having circumferential ilanges 36 and 31 secured together by bolts 38. A diaphragm 39 is interposed between the members 34 and 35 and its edges are-clamped between the ilanges 36 and 31. 'I'he housing member is open at its lower end and it is provided with a circumferential flange 40 whichv is secured by bolts 4I to a similar flangel 42 at the top of the member I2 of the valve, a diaphragm 43 being interposed between the membersv lI2 and 35 with its 'edges clamped between the anges 40, 42.

Within the housing member 35 of the motor device'is a stem 44 having an enlarged head 45 lying in contact with the under surface of diaphragm 39. The stem also has a collar 46 lying in contact with the diaphragm 43. and a portion of the stem passes through the diaphragm and Mounted within the housing member 34 of the motor is a spring 48 bearing at one end against the diaphragm 39and at the other against a block 50 which lies in contact withthe lower end of a bolt 5I threaded in an opening in the top of the member 34 and held in adjusted position by a lock nut 52. The bolt makes it possible to alter the position of the block 50 and thus vary the compression of the spring 48. The member 35 of the motor has a hollow boss 53 into which can be threaded a pipe 54 leading from a source of iluid under pressure.

The diaphragm 39 of the motor is substantially larger in area than diaphragm 43, and similarly the exposed area of diaphragm I4 of the motor is substantially greater than the exposed area of diaphragm I3'. When the device is not in operation, the pressure in the chamber in the motor between diaphragms 39 and 43 is substantially atmospheric, and under these conditions, the spring 48 forces the diaphragm 39 downward and this results in the stem 44 lying at the lower end of its path of travel. The end piece 41 on the stem bears againstv the diaphragm I4, and since spring 48.is stronger than spring 42, the stem- 44 forces down stemA I9, causing valve 26 to contact with its seat 21 and thereby shut oi the iiow of uid through the valve. Whenever it is desired to permit iluid to pass through the valve,

uid under pressure is admitted through the pipe 54 to the interior of the housing member 35 of the motor. 'I'his uid acts on both diaphragms 33 and 40.but since the diaphragm 39 is of larger area, the fluid causes that diaphragm to rise, compressing spring 48. As the end piece 41 moves upward, the spring 22 of the valve acts on th head 20 to raise the stem I 9 and thus free the valve from its seat. During the functioning of the valve, pressure is maintained in the motor between the two diaphragms and the diaphragms remain in their upward position in which the end piece 41 oers no obstruction to the upward movement of the diaphragm I4.

Fluid under the relatively high pressure now enters the bottom member I I through the pipe 3| and passes through the valve and away through the pipe 32. Should the pressure in the pipe 32 exceed that for which the valve is set, a portion of the iiuid entering the top member I2 through the pipe 33 causes diaphragm I4 to move down to close valve 26. Both diaphragmsA I3 and I4 are exposed to the pressure oi' this portion of the iluid but since diaphragm I4 is larger in area than diaphragm I3, the pressure is leffective to cause diaphragm SI4 to seat the valve. As the pressure vin the pipeA 32 and in the top member I2 falls upon the shutting of valve 26, a point is reachedatvwhich the spring 22 can overcome the force` opposing it and raise the valve 26 to permit further passage of iiuidthrough the device.

When it is desired to stop the operation of the valve, pressure is allowed to escape from the housing member 35 of the motor, whereupon the spring 48 functions to move stem 44 downward and close the valve 26. a

In the new motor-controlled valve assembly, the use of the diaphragms makes it unnecessary to employ packing, and since the valve 26 lies above its seat and the stem does not pass through the opening in partition 28, this opening may be of has threaded thereon an end piece 41 which is en# gageable with the diaphragm I4 in the valve.

device to be regulated for diil'erent conditions. of operation as may be desired.

In the assembly, the valve used may be of the stop type, and this combination is illustrated in Figure 3. In this construction, there is no dia- 5 phragm interposed between the top member 55 of the body member III of the housing of the valve, and there is no connection between the interior of the top member 55 and the discharge pipe 56.- The spring .22, therefore, maintains the 10 valve 26 separated from the seat 21, whenever it it is permitted to do so by the motor device, and the position of the valve is not affected by the pressure in thepipe 56. The introduction o1' a fluid under pressure between the diaphragms 33 ll and 43 of the motor device results in the stem 44 being raised so that the spring 22 is effective to raise the valve from its seat. Whenever thev pressure in the chamber between diaphragms 33 and 43 of the valve is substantially atmospheric, 20 the spring 48 moves the stem 44 down and this causes the valve 26 to close.

As previously explained, the pressure reducing valve of the assembly may be used alone, in which case its operation .is entirely automatic. The 25 valve when used in this manner has the form shown in Figure 1. It diiers from the valve illustrated in Figure 2 only in that the top member 51 is closed and not adapted to have the motor device mounted thereon. With this con- 80 struction, the valveV 26 normally lies clear of its seat 21, but upon the building up of a pressure in the pipe 32 in excess ot that desired, a portion of the fluid owing throughthe pipe 33 into the top member 51 above the diaphragm I4 38 causes the diaphragm to move down, forcing valve 26 against its seat. 'I'he pressure for which the device is set'depends on the compression of the spring 22, this compression ,being determined by the position of the adjusting nut 22 on bushing 40 I8. The body member III has an opening 56 to atmosphere so that movement of the diaphragm I4 is not resisted by air which would otherwise be imprisoned in the interior body member III and be compressed as the diaphragm I4 moves down. 45

What I claim is:

1. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of diierent sizes, means for admitting a fluidunder pressure into the housing between 50 the diaphragms, a spring-pressed stem operatively connected to the diaphragms, a second housing, a valve and seat in said second housing. said valve and'seat being in contact when the device is inoperative, and a spring-pressed stem 6l connected to said v alve and in position to be moved bysaid rst stem, the spring acting on the stem connected to said diaphragms ,being stronger than the spring acting on the stem connected to said valve.

2. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of diierent sizes, means for admitting a iiuid under pressure into the housing between the diaphragms, a stem operatively connected as to said diaphragms, al spring tending to move said stemV in one direction, a second housing, a valve and seat in said second housing, said valve and seat being in contact when the device is inoperativefa stem. connected to said valve and 70 in position to be moved by said rst stem, and a spring acting on said valve stem and tending to move said stem in a direction opposite to that in which said iirst'stem is moved by its spring, the springacting on the stem-connected to the diaphragms being stronger than the spring actlng on the valve stem.

3. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of different sizes and having a single port through the wall thereof, means for admitting a fluid under pressure into the housing between the diaphragms through said port, a stem operatively connected to the diaphragms, a second housing, a valve and seat in said second housing, a stem connected to said valve and in position to be actuated by said diaphragm stem, and springs acting'on said stems and tending to force them in opposite directions, the spring acting on the diaphragm stem being stronger than the spring acting on the valve stem and said valve being normally closed.

4. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of diiferent sizes, means for admitting a fiuid` under pressure into the housing between the diaphragms, a spring-pressed stem operatively connected to said diaphragms, a second housing, a pair of diaphragms of different sizes within said second housing, a spring-pressed stem in said second housing operatively connected to said diaphragms and in position to be actuated by said rst stem, a valve in said second housing connected to the stem therein and cooperating.

with a seat, a passage through said second housing controlled by said valve, and a connection from the passage at one side of the valve to the interior of the second housing at one side of the larger diaphragm therein.

5. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of dierent sizes, means for admitting a fluid under pressure into the housing between the diaphragmsf spring-pressed stem operatively connected to said diaphragms, a second housing, a normally closed valve in said second housing biassed toward open position by a spring in said second housing, and means connected to said valve and operable by said stem to close said valve.

6. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of different sizes, means for admitting a fluid under pressure into the housing between the diaphragms, a spring-pressed stem-operativc ly connected to said diaphragms, a second housing open to the first housing, a pair of diaphragms ofdiierent size in said second housing, a passage in said second housing defined in part by the small diaphragm in said housing, a valve for controlling said passage, a stem connected to said valve and to the diaphragms in said second housing, said stem being movable by the stem in the first housing, and -a connection between said passage at one side of said valve to the interior of the second housing at one side of the large diaphragm therein.

7. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of different sizes, means for admitting a uid underA pressure into the housing between the diaphragms, a spring-pressed stem operatively connected to said diaphragms, a second housing open to the first housing, a pair of diaphragms of different size in said second housing, a chamber in said second housing defined in part by the large diaphragm therein and by a diaphragm in the first housing, a. passage in the second housing deiined in part by the small diaphragm in said housing, a valve controlling said passage, a stem connected to said valve and to the diaphragms in the second housing, said stem being movable by the stem i1. the rst housing, and a connection between said passage at one side of said valve and the interior of said chamber.

8. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of dlerent sizes, means for admitting a fluid under pressure into the housing between the diaphragms, a spring-pressed stem operatively connected to said diaphragms, a second housing open to the rst housing, a pair of diaphragms of diierent size in said second housing, a chamber in said second housing deiined in part by the large diaphragm therein andv by a diaphragm in the iirst housing, a passage in the second housing dened in part by the small diaphragm in said housing, a valve controlling said passage, a stem connected to said valve and to the diaphragms in the second housing, said stem being movable by the stem in the first housing, a pipe for admission of fluid under pressure to said passage at one side of said valve, a pipe for conducting fluid away from said passage, and a connection between said chamber and the passage at the o utlet side of said valve.

9. A motor-controlled valve assembly which comprises a housing containing a pair of diaphragms of dierent sizes, a stem operatively connected to said diaphragms, a spring acting on CERTIFICATE 0E CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,026,704. January '7, 1936.

GREGORY A. PETROE.

It is hereby certified that error appears. in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page `3, first Column, line 5-6, claim 5, strike out the words "and having a single port through the wall thereof" and insert the same after "sizes" and before the comma in line 20, claim 4; same page and column, line 8, claim 3, strike out the words "through said port" and insert the same after"'diaphragms" and before the comma in line 22 claim 4; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these Corrections therein that the same may Conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and Sealed this 3rd day of March, A. D. 1936.

' Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

